SSW Evaluation & Intervention Planning 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A school social worker is using a problem-solving model during an IEP team meeting. Which sequence correctly reflects this model?
- Implement → Define → Evaluate → Plan
- Define → Analyze → Implement → Evaluate (Correct answer)
- Analyze → Define → Plan → Implement
- Evaluate → Plan → Implement → Define
Correct answer: Define → Analyze → Implement → Evaluate
The problem-solving model follows: Define the problem, Analyze why it occurs, Implement an intervention, then Evaluate its effectiveness.
Question 2: A student presents with both internalizing (depression, anxiety) and externalizing (aggression, defiance) behaviors. The intervention plan should:
- Address only the externalizing behaviors since they affect others more directly
- Address only internalizing behaviors since they are the root cause
- Comprehensively address both behavior types with coordinated strategies (Correct answer)
- Separate the student from peers until behaviors resolve
Correct answer: Comprehensively address both behavior types with coordinated strategies
Co-occurring internalizing and externalizing behaviors require a comprehensive intervention plan that addresses both dimensions simultaneously.
Question 3: A school social worker is reviewing a student's response to intervention data collected over 12 weeks. The data show a flat trend line. This MOST likely indicates:
- The intervention is working and should continue unchanged
- The intervention is not producing the desired growth and should be reconsidered (Correct answer)
- The student has achieved the goal and no longer needs support
- The data collection method was inaccurate and should be restarted
Correct answer: The intervention is not producing the desired growth and should be reconsidered
A flat trend line over 12 weeks indicates the current intervention is not producing growth toward the goal, signaling a need for a change in approach.
Question 4: When a school social worker suspects child abuse during an evaluation interview with a student, the FIRST action should be:
- Complete the evaluation before reporting to avoid disrupting the process
- Make a mandatory report to child protective services as required by law (Correct answer)
- Notify the parents so they can address the situation at home
- Consult with the principal before taking any action
Correct answer: Make a mandatory report to child protective services as required by law
School social workers are mandatory reporters and must report suspected abuse to child protective services immediately, regardless of where they are in the evaluation process.
Question 5: A school social worker is planning a social skills intervention for a student with autism spectrum disorder. Which instructional approach has the strongest evidence base for this population?
- Unstructured free play with peers
- Social narratives, video modeling, and explicit instruction in naturalistic settings (Correct answer)
- Peer avoidance to reduce social anxiety
- Traditional talk therapy focused on insight development
Correct answer: Social narratives, video modeling, and explicit instruction in naturalistic settings
Social narratives, video modeling, and explicit instruction delivered in naturalistic settings have the strongest research support for improving social skills in students with ASD.
Question 6: A school social worker shares evaluation results with parents at an IEP meeting. Which practice best supports family engagement during this process?
- Using technical jargon to demonstrate professional credibility
- Providing a written summary in plain language and inviting parents to share their perspective and ask questions (Correct answer)
- Presenting findings quickly to minimize meeting length
- Limiting parental input to avoid disagreement with the team's conclusions
Correct answer: Providing a written summary in plain language and inviting parents to share their perspective and ask questions
Family engagement is supported by clear communication in accessible language and genuinely inviting parents as equal partners in the evaluation process.
Question 7: A school social worker determines that a student's disruptive behavior serves an escape function based on FBA data. The behavior intervention plan (BIP) should PRIMARILY include:
- Punitive consequences to discourage escaping tasks
- Teaching the student an appropriate replacement behavior to request a break or assistance (Correct answer)
- Removing all challenging tasks from the student's schedule
- Increasing academic demands to extinguish the escape behavior
Correct answer: Teaching the student an appropriate replacement behavior to request a break or assistance
When behavior serves an escape function, the BIP should teach a functional replacement behavior — such as requesting a break — that meets the same need appropriately.
SSW Evaluation & Intervention Planning 5
A school social worker is using a problem-solving model during an IEP team meeting.
Which sequence correctly reflects this model?